Sonder by Marriott Bonvoy: Everything You Need to Know

The range of Marriott Bonvoy properties has recently been expanded after announcing a new partnership with Sonder. With properties around the world and deep discounts for extended stay travellers, Sonder complements the line-up of Marriott’s extended stay properties.

Although Marriott is well known for its hotels and global reach, people are not very familiar with Sonder and their offerings. Having completed a recent stay at a Sonder property in Downtown Vancouver, let me discuss what Sonder really is and why you could consider booking them for your future travels!

What is Sonder by Marriott Bonvoy?

Sonder owns and operates extended stay accommodations around the globe, primarily apartments and boutique hotels. They manage over 9,000 units in over 40 cities across 10 countries, including Canada where they have properties primarily in prime locations of Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto.

They recently partnered with Marriott Bonvoy to offer their listings on Marriott’s booking channels. With the goal of fully integrating all of Sonder’s properties into Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio by the end of Q2 2025, Marriott Bonvoy members have had the opportunity to earn and redeem points and collect nights towards status since October 30, 2024. 

Sonder operates its properties using tech-enabled services. For people wanting to stay at Sonder, being able to use technology is essential because the mobile app is the only way to access your room and even the building. 

Marriott Elite Status Benefits at Sonder

At the moment, all Sonder properties, except for five in Denver, Colorado, are Limited Participation properties. This means that they are not able to be booked through the Marriott Bonvoy website. Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status members will receive the Elite bonus and no other status benefits at Limited Participation properties.

Although during my stay at Sonder the Sunset, a note did mention that complimentary late checkout was available to Silver Elite members and above after selecting a time. 

Once Sonder properties are fully integrated into the system, most elite status benefits will be available, including welcome gifts.

My Experience at Sonder the Sunset in Vancouver

Looking for a place to stay Downtown for an event, I remembered that Sonder was absorbed into Marriott’s profile. Seeing that there were two properties available, and at almost half the price of the cheapest Marriott Bonvoy property downtown, I chose to stay at Sonder The Sunset in the Davie Village neighbourhood.

The experience of booking through Sonder’s website felt faster and smoother than booking a room through Marriott. At the time of booking, none of the Sonder properties were available through Marriott’s website, so you had to either log in on the Sonder website with your Marriott Bonvoy account or put in your Bonvoy membership number in a field on the booking page, which is what I did. You can also add in parking and early check-in as additional charges in case you need those services.

For my stay, I paid $230 CAD including taxes and fees, with a Sonder Member discount. This was extremely competitive compared to pricing for extended-stay properties. The rate also included cancellation flexibility for a full refund, up to 3 days in advance. Plus. Sonder has discounts for longer stays, with up to 40% off bookings with 45 nights or more.

I booked my stay during the off-peak season in Vancouver. Other Sonder properties around the world also offer a reasonable rate, compared to staying at some of the different Marriott extended-stay brands. Looking at rates after my stay, the room I booked averaged around twice as much as I paid.

After booking, Sonder heavily encourages you to download their app, which is where you get an access code and property information, similar to Airbnb. The app can also work as your mobile key into the room instead of using the keypad. Sonder has their own version of a Mobile Key integrated into the Sonder app, though it only unlocked my room’s door.

My stay at Sonder was very similar to how you enter an Airbnb, where amenities are self-serve and there is limited interaction with staff. I only saw one staff member during my visit, who worked at the front desk answering questions and giving local suggestions.

The room I booked was just as advertised, a Studio apartment with a kitchen and balcony. There was a handwritten welcome note and a couple of chocolates waiting for my arrival which was a delightful surprise.

Similar to other extended stay properties, basic kitchenware such as utensils, pans, bowls, etc. were stocked in the kitchen for guests to use. Unlike Airbnbs however, no leftover food was left behind in the fridge or freezer.

The Sunset is in an old building that used to be an independent inn. Over the last few years, the property was renovated and most of the furniture and amenities are quite new and modern, fitting Sonder’s modern theme. At night, the window isn’t very soundproof so you will be hearing some outside noise. The TV is not connected to cable, but replaced with a built-in Roku instead which can be used to access streaming services.

There is also a small balcony that faces the nearby alleyway towards the north.

The bathroom was small, but free toiletries and amenities such as towels, soap, shampoo, and conditioner are provided, just like a regular hotel.

Sonder vs. AirBnb

Both Sonder and Airbnb operate similarly as short term rental companies. Airbnbs are primarily rentals that individuals own, which could be a small bedroom or an entire property. In contrast, Sonder owns and operates the properties, like a hotel group. 

There are two types of Sonder properties; Sonder Hotels and Sonder Apartments. Sonder Hotels, as you can imagine, operate more like a hotel, with a traditional reception desk, fitness facilities and breakfast if available. Some Sonder Apartments don’t have these amenities, and focus on an experience similar to living at home, like a stocked kitchen or even in-unit laundry.

Sonder and Airbnb both facilitate contact with customer service or the rental owner through the app. Information about the unit and the pin or password is provided there as well. To me, the advantage Sonder has with communication would be that they have a dedicated support team versus Airbnb where the line of communication about your stay is only to the owner of the property.

Rates for Sonders are relatively consistent, as they are all apartments or hotel rooms, in comparison to Airbnbs which can vary from very inexpensive for just a room in someone’s house or very costly if you’re renting a boutique property.

Airbnb owners can charge customized cleaning fees and Airbnb has their own service fee that travellers may pay for. Although my Sonder does list ‘Cleaning Fee’ as part of the line items on the receipt from my booking, $0 was charged during my stay. Airbnb prices have been quite comparable to hotels nowadays as well, especially when the taxes and fees together make up more than half of what the room itself costs.

Sonder vs. Other Marriott Extended Stay Brands

In comparison, the Residence Inn Vancouver Downtown which is only a few blocks away, had the lowest prepaid rate at $321 inclusive of taxes and fees.

Though, at the Residence Inn, everyone has access to a buffet breakfast and a welcome gift of 500 Marriott Bonvoy points. But for me, I didn’t see those together worth an extra $91.

All Sonders vary in amenities and policies. Specifically comparing my stay at The Sunset and the Residence Inn Vancouver Downtown, The Sunset did not have complimentary or any breakfast options, nor a 24/7 customer service desk. There are also no cable TV services, but you are able to use the provided Roku and TV unit for streaming services or connect the provided HDMI cable to your own devices. 

The Sunset also had self-serve baggage/storage lockers, self-serve amenities cabinet, and access codes available before check-in which to me were nice benefits with the limited interactions.

Marriott Bonvoy Redemptions at Sonder

You can redeem Marriott Bonvoy points for Sonder Stays. At the the time of writing, most properties are Limited Participation Properties which means that you are not able to redeem through the Marriott website or app. Looking at some of the Full Participation properties available on Marriott’s website, most of the redemptions don’t seem to be the best value anyway.

Conclusion

Sonder’s partnership with Marriott will broaden the Bonvoy portfolio of properties. Although guests are going to be heavily dependent on technology to stay at a Sonder, I personally enjoyed the experience and price compared to what I could have booked.

New properties being added to Marriott Bonvoy will always be a plus, and with the addition of Sonder, hopefully the standards of the other extended-stay brands will reach Sonder’s level. If the opportunity is right, I would make the choice to book another Sonder in the future.

Frequently Asked Questions